Tuesday, 17 July 2012

668. Arabella The Persecuted

Scene:Arabella, a lady of a gentle and placid disposition, is driving down a one-lane main road and sees a set of traffic lights ahead turning to amber.She thinks she has enough time to slip through, then at the last minute knows she is mistaken, and applies the break a little sharply, causing the car behind to do likewise and giving the driver a bit of a fright.He sits on the horn in annoyance, which Arabella ignores.

They then approach a roundabout, where with a roar of his engine he tries to overtake her but Arabella just manages to hog the middle of the road which stops him from doing so.At the next set of traffic lights – red - she brakes gradually on approach, but hasn’t noticed that the road is now slightly uphill.She takes her foot off the break, and before the lights have a chance to turn to green, her car rolls back into the car behind with a gentle crunch.Arabella brakes, and – belatedly – applies the handbrake.The driver of the car behind is apoplectic.

He leaps out of his car as Arabella prudently closes the window and locks herself in, and for some seconds screams at her, shakes his fist, and in his frustration kicks her front tyre.At this precise moment, an off-duty policeman is passing on the opposite side of the road and sees a man screaming at a woman driver, who looks very alarmed and helpless.He switches on his siren and does a U-turn in the road, landing up in front of her car.He gets out of his car and goes over to Arabella.

Policeman:Madam, is this man bothering you?

Arabella:Oh sergeant I’m so glad you happened to come by.This man is mad....

Driver:(Trying to control his temper).Bloody woman, look what she’s done to my car...

Arabella:Oh that’s so unfair.He’s been chasing me down the road, and I stopped for the red light and he just went into the back of me, and I didn’t know WHAT to do.....

Policeman:Just leave this to me madam.

No damage has been done to her car, fortunately, and after taking her particulars, he sends her on her way.The last thing she sees in her rear view mirror as she drives away is the driver this time furiously kicking the tyres on his own car.

(With thanks to John, who remembered this incident from the seventies.)

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The inspiration for this blog came initially from one written in Spanish ("Blogudeces de la vida cotidiana") by Gustavo, a blogger from Argentina. I'm delighted he considers this blog to be the "English Cousin" to his. I also include stories and anecdotes when I have no eavesdroppings to report. All pictures are mine unless otherwise stated. If you would like to contribute your own eavesdroppings for inclusion here, please e-mail me on lonicera53@yahoo.com.

...................QUIRKY CORNER

(41) "Have you taken it yet? This hat's a bit heavy..." (Allie, Bristol, late 90s)

(40) No, dont't! (from the internet)

(39) Nah... they're not fat enough yet... (Mollie, Patagonia)

(38) Street in Bath

(37) Former pub sign on Tewkesbury High Street, fortunately retained by the estate agents

(36) "Yes, but does it SUIT me?" (Mollie, Patagonia, 2008)

(35) From the internet

(34) Borrowed from the internet

(33) Borrowed from the internet

The Oven Bird, Part Three

(32) The resourcefulness of the ovenbird - see context pic below (also by Ramón Minieri)

The Oven Bird, Part Two

(31) Statue in Bahía Blanca, Argentina. Another high rise home for the oven bird (picture by Ramón Minieri)

The Oven Bird, Part One

(30) Statue of Garibaldi in Bahía Blanca, Argentina. His hat is also the home of an enterprising oven bird who wasn't afraid of heights...

(29) "I'm going to get that mouse if it's the last thing I do... " (Tomi and Mollie, Patagonia, Argentina, 2008)